Head of Communications and Engagement – Central Saint Martins

Creativity is at the brink of great change and there is a galvanising call embedded at the heart of our University’s strategy. To remain at the heart of creative education in an era of polarisation and new intelligences, a total rethink is underway in our systems, skills and the sectors we partner with.

Central Saint Martins (CSM) has an international reputation as a world-leading art school producing generations of extraordinary creative practitioners who have had significant impact in the creative industries shaping how we see the world. The College has a legacy of engaging with the global debate about the arts, performance and design, and their role in societal transformation. This is at the heart of what we do: we challenge what people think they know about the arts, performance, and design, and how it shapes and impacts us all.

UAL is seeking a dynamic, versatile and experienced communications lead for Central Saint Martins. At Central Saint Martins, we are regenerating creativity through our three core identities: as a cultural institution, an educational organisation and a rapidly evolving business. To build on the College’s core spirit of interdisciplinarity and thematic integrity as an art school, CSM has recently embarked on an exciting College-wide transformation to create three Schools of Thought: C-School, S-School and M-School. There is a deliberate de-emphasising of disciplinary categories such as art, design and performance. The current naming strategy emphasises the whole (C + S + M = CSM) and aims to allow space for working across schools and adapting to societal and planetary conditions as called for in our University’s ambitious strategy.

As the Head of Communications and Engagement for Central Saint Martins, you will be part of UAL’s first university-wide communications function, bringing together talented colleagues and remarkable stories from across our six colleges, our 6,000 staff and 22,000 students and our world-famous alumni.

The role of Head of Communications and Engagement is a key role for the College. This role will work closely with the Central Saint Martins College Executive to plan and deliver impactful internal communications and engagement with college staff and students, work with UAL-wide communications to champion the Central Saint Martins brand, vision and values as part of a university-wide communications strategy. The role will be proactive in providing communications strategies, solutions and expert advice to the College Executive and engaging staff and students.

The role is located in Kings Cross at CSM with travel to other UAL London sites. You will lead a 5-person team located in Kings Cross as well as be part of a larger UAL-wide communications function of professional communicators including media relations, PR, brand, strategy, audience insight, creative, content, social media and digital communications. You will be line managed by the Director for College Communications who oversees our six colleges and internal communications and have a dotted line to the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of College for CSM.

Our strategy 2022-2032 | UAL

We are looking for a communications leader who is experienced, passionate and knowledgeable about internal communications and engagement in large and complex organisations and has a keen knowledge of the creative arts. This is an opportunity for you to help strengthen communications within CSM and UAL as we launch ‘Schools of Thought’ both within our community and internationally as part of an integrated approach to communications across the University.

Collaboration is at the heart of this role; both in leading a team as part of our new integrated communications structure, as well as collaborating with senior staff across the organisation to gain insights and understanding of College and UAL narratives to provide compelling and strategic communications.